The province of Santa Fe closed the first quarter of 2026 with a historic drop in the number of intentional homicides, according to data released by the Ministry of Security.
This achievement is due to the impact of the Flag Plan carried out by the Government of Javier Milei since December 2023, a strategy of direct intervention with federal forces against drug trafficking and organized crime, with a focus on Rosario.
According to official information, between January and March of this year, 35 intentional homicides were registered, a figure that marks a reduction of more than 70% compared to critical years such as 2023 and 2020, when 121 and 124 cases were counted respectively.
Federal forces in Rosario.
Even compared to the best recent record, the first quarter of 2025, the drop is more than 40%, since 61 crimes had been reported in that period
.
The data also reflect the lowest level since official records exist, in contrast to the situation of previous years such as 2022, when the province exceeded 400 homicides per year.
The territorial breakdown also shows the magnitude of the decline. In the Rosario Department, one of the historic centers of drug violence, the first quarter of 2026 closed with 23 homicides. Meanwhile, in the department of La Capital, 7 cases were registered
.
The Flag Plan
In this context, the Flag Plan is presented as the central axis of change. This program, launched at the end of 2023 by the Government of Milei, was specifically designed to intervene in Rosario, with the objective of dismantling criminal networks
linked to drug trafficking. President Javier Milei.
The initiative is based on the articulation of federal forces, such as the Gendarmerie, the Naval Prefecture, the Federal Police and the Airport Security Police, together with the provincial police, under a unified command scheme. This coordination made it possible to make more effective progress on criminal structures
.
The results of the plan are not only reflected in the drop in homicides. During the first two months of 2026, murders in Rosario fell by 57% compared to the same period last year. In addition, January 2026 was reported as the month with the lowest rates of violence in the last 25 years in the region
.
At the same time, security operations intensified, leading to the arrest of hundreds of criminals linked to drug trafficking and the destruction of bunkers usedfor the sale of drugs.
Record levels were also reached in the confiscation of drugs, firearms, vehicles and cash from illegal activities, operations that generated security benefits throughout the province.
